The BGJHS social studies teachers are some of the most hardworking individuals in the school. Social studies teachers have many struggles in their profession, with them working way longer than the 6-hour school day. Every day they try to educate kids about their history and how they can relate past events to the present.
Navigating the daily challenges of classroom management while making split-second decisions about content delivery and student engagement often feels like a juggling act for social studies teachers, but this is precisely why their role is so crucial in shaping critical thinkers. Mr. Tinsley, a 7th-grade social studies teacher, explains, “You get a lot of day-to-day decisions you have to make every day, trying to make sure every student is learning, and that is a challenge in itself. Um, but if you enjoy it, then you kind of accept the challenge and kind of go with it.”
Social studies teachers often struggle to balance their demanding professional lives with personal responsibilities. While managing packed curriculums and striving to keep students engaged, they simultaneously juggle family commitments and personal time. Despite these challenges, many find creative ways to excel in the classroom while maintaining a fulfilling home life, embodying the very skills of adaptability they teach their students. Mr. Tinsley, a 7th-grade social studies teacher, explained, “I am my master, so that is probably the most challenging, even though I’ve got school here. I’m then trying to get my school stuff for college done, while I also have a wife and three kids. So definitely a lot of time management goes into teaching social studies.
Teachers and students alike understand that the curriculum has changed, evolving from reading textbooks to taking tests to figuring out how to use that information to write tests. The 6th-grade social studies teacher, Mrs. Tomita, explained, “I would have to say social studies is more writing and more analyzing than what I remember as a sixth grader. So it’s transitioning more content-based into, can they look at recourses and pick them apart and create a claim and support it?”
Social Studies teachers think the benefits of teaching social studies outweigh the drawbacks. One of the most important parts of teaching social studies is understanding diversity. This can be challenging, but a social studies teacher, Mr. Gilpin, says, “I like interacting with kids. I get a chance to talk to them and get to know them here. It’s nice because we’re diverse and we have kids from all over the world, so as we get to know them, we need to know other cultures, other experiences, and other people, and I like that.”
Now imagine you were in the shoes of a social studies teacher. How would you educate hundreds of kids about social studies? Would you struggle?
